Heavy beam loading in storage ring radio frequency systems

Abstract Effects arising from both steady-state and transient beam loading of an rf system in circular accelerators are described. The stability of the rf system and the particle beam is studied using a numerical model of the beam-cavity interaction with multiple feedback loops. Nonlinearities in the power source are also considered. As a special case, a detailed model of the Stanford Linear Collider damping rings is presented. The effects of beam-induced transients and intensity jitter on the rf system are analyzed and are used to determine stability tolerances for incoming current variations. A low current limit is demonstrated and techniques are described to ease this limit. Implications for the design and operation of future storage ring rf systems are studied in the heavily beam-loaded limit.